History of Seward County, Nebraska Page 165-166
James W. Slonecker was one of the lads that came to the wilderness of Seward County when only sixteen years old and helped to break the wild sod on his fathers farm in "F" precinct. James was born October 3, 1852, away down east among the mountains of the old Keystone state at Mount Pleasant, and it was not a very pleasant place after all but Jim did not stay there long enough to learn to navigate a stone boat or build many brush fences. The old folks took the western fever when Jim was yound and settled in Fulton County, Illinois, and later in McDounah County and in 1868, they found the right place in Seward County.
On the great prairie westward from the parental home, Jim somehow found Miss Ada Whitnah and they were married February 15, 1877. Miss Whitnah was born January 24, 1859, at Xenia Ohio. They were married at Seward and at once occupied the homestead in "F" precinct where they yet live and have improved a beautiful farm. Two children came to bless the home, Mae and Chester. Their location is on the high table land four miles west of Seward. Their church home is with the Methodists at Seward.